What is IPE wood?

Ipe wood, aka Brazilian hardwood, is an exotic wood from South America. It is about five times harder and almost twice as dense as most local woods. In fact, ipe is three times harder than cedar and has the same fire rating as steel and concrete. It makes Ipe boards resistant to rot, mold, surface scratches, and even fire.

Because of its durability, and comparably low maintenance, IPE lumber is becoming a popular choice for outdoor and indoor applications. From decking to siding to flooring, ipe wood is widely used for residential and commercial applications.

Ipe Decking

Ipe wood decking is one of the most popular application for this amazing material. You could call it a "Gold Standard" for natural hardwood decking. Known for their durability, ipe decking boards easily outlast any other hardwood and have a beautiful mahogany or walnut look. It is excellent for long-lasting residential or commercial usage.

Ipe Siding

Residential and commercial siding is another popular use for ipe wood. Ipe Siding is one of the most durable siding materials you can buy. Because of its natural durability and beauty, ipe siding is often used as a natural element in modern architecture.

Outdoor Structures

Outdoor structures, such as pergolas, shelters, docks, boardwalks, fencing, and others, can be made using ipe wood. The same properties that make ipe the ideal wood for decking also make it an excellent choice for long-lasting outdoor structures.

Outdoor Furniture

Because of its ability to last for more than 25 years outdoors and its scratch resistance, ipe is becoming a popular alternative to Teak for outdoor furniture manufacturers. Ipe furniture looks ideal alongside elegant ipe wood decking and siding.

IPE Flooring

Even though ipe is known as an outdoor wood, it is also quite popular as interior flooring. Because of its rich coloring, hardness, and very long life, ipe is gaining popularity as an interior flooring option for residential and commercial applications. Ipe flooring boards are often labeled as Brazilian Walnut.

While Ipe wood decking is often called a "low-maintenance" option for your deck or siding, it by no means should be understood as "no-maintenance." Without routine ipe deck restoration efforts, your wood, including furniture and siding, will lose its natural luscious color and turn silvery gray. Or, worse, will fail prematurely.

To protect your investment and preserve its natural beauty, we recommend sweeping your deck at least once a month with an outdoor broom. Besides sweeping, check for proper drainage and ventilation.
Your ipe wood boards will lose their original reddish color and turn silvery gray without annual re-sealing. There is no need to worry. The natural bleaching process does not affect the integrity of the ipe boards, and if you like the natural weathered ipe wood look, you don't need to do anything. However, it's recommended to re-apply the sealer annually to keep the wood's original color.
And keep an eye on mildew or moss growth on the ipe deck boards. If left unchecked, it will retain excess moisture speeding up rotting, and its roots will start degrading wood fibers.

Have questions about your ipe deck restoration, or are you looking for someone to repair and reseal it? Look no further. Deck Doc is your best choice. We have decades of experience maintaining ipe wood structures.